CATESBY & EDWARDS, 1 77 1 29 



The large folio volume in which Mark Catesby published the record 

 of his visit to the Bahamas and other parts of America has had an im- 

 portant place in the history of American Ichthyology. Numerous edi- 

 tions of this work with the same plates have been pubUshed in German, 

 French and English. 



Two of these, the Edwards' Edition of 1771, and the edition quoted 

 as "Catesby, Pise. Imag., Etc., in 1777," are subsequent to Linnaeus and 

 may perhaps deserve consideration in nomenclature, although apparently 

 not eligible in view of Opinion 57, which regards the post-Linncean trans- 

 lation of Hasselquist as ineligible. These editions contain tables showing 

 the Linnsean names of Catesby's species. Except as an evidence of "re- 

 vision," these have no bearing on Catesby's "genera." If the generic 

 names with polynomial specific names, of Gronow, Klein, and others are 

 accepted, we can hardly refuse notice to the Latin nouns used by Catesby 

 as republished by Edwards. These nouns have the force of genera, and 

 being built about actual specimens they are mostly monotypic ; while 

 those of Gronow and Klein are subdivisions of a system, each covering 

 as a rule many species. The names of Catesby are listed as genera in 

 Sherborne's Index Animalium by an author who is rather critical of Latin 

 vernaculars. But Catesby v/rote before Artedi and Linnaeus had framed 

 the idea of a genus. He was not therefore consciously engaged in 

 the differentiation of generic groups. He was not, to borrow a phrase 

 from Mr. Stejneger, "playing the game." For this reason it seems to 

 us that his names should not be admitted to the system. It is, however, 

 very important to have a decision once for all in this matter. 



The names in Edwards' Catesby are of doubtful eligibility as being 

 Latin vernacular nouns rather than genera, and as a reprint virtually un- 

 changed of a pre-Linncean work. 



Umbla Catesby, i ; type Esox barracuda Shaw (Sphyr^na picuda 

 Bloch & Schneider). "Umbla minor, maxima maxillis longi- 

 ORiBUS, the Barracuda" Catesby. 

 Equivalent to Sphyr^na and prior to it, if accepted in the system. 



Mormyrus Catesby, 2; type Ul^ma lefroyi (Goode). "Mormyrus ex 

 ciNEREO nigricans, the Bone-fish" Catesby. 

 Identification somewhat uncertain. The name in any event is subsequent to 

 Mormyrus L. 



Saurus Catesby, 2; type Salmo fcetens L. "Saurus ex cinereo ni- 

 gricans, the Sea Sparrow Hav/k" Catesby. 

 Identical with Synodus Gronow, 1763. 



